Colorado Man Charged with Felony After Dog Mauls 2-Year-Old Child
A man is being charged with a felony after his Rottweiler named "Loco" attacked a 2-year-old, resulting in the child requiring surgery.
Denver7 says Martin Pena, the dog's owner, is being charged for illegally owning a "dangerous dog," a charge which Denver DA Office spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough says isn't issued very often.
According to court documents obtained by Denver7, Loco bit the child in August of last year, suffering a broken leg from the attack.
This isn't the first time Loco has attacked a human being, however.
Pena also faces a misdemeanor charge after Loco bit an 18-year-old walking through an alley behind Pena's home earlier this year. Loco also attacked an 11-year-old girl in 2011 as she walked through the same alley.
Denver7 says there was an additional incident in the past 6 months involving Loco, though that case is undisclosed to our knowledge.
Kimbrough told Denver7 cases like these are usually dealt with at the city level, but are being talked about in a criminal manner due to the fact that it's an issue of public safety.
For Loco to be put down, Kimbrough says Pena would need to be found guilty and exhaust all of his appeals. If Loco had been a Pitbull, however, he would have been put down sooner since Denver bans that breed in the city.
Rottweilers have been described as a versatile breed - from being aggressive and protective to sweet and gentle. The video below explains how, when properly trained, Rottweilers can grow to be gentle giants.